Of Mountains and Kings
by LilyLotusbud
Summary: "I've heard of the King Under The Mountain - Of his glory and courage, and of his fight for what was rightfully his. I respect him, you, rightfully enough. You deserve it. And truthfully, Sir, I really am just here to deliver the meat." Thorin/OC flirty Kili/OC


_Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit._

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><p>She was fifteen the day the dragon had come. The day when smoke filled the air and all that could be heard in the distance were the screams of innocent men and the cries of innocent children.<p>

She bolted to her feet from her bed, eyes wide as the oxygen in their small cottage began to fade.

It was so hot. So ruthlessly, unbearably hot. She felt her chest tighten as it had begun to get hard to breath.

"Kane!" She called, coughing as she ripped the sheets and blankets from the small cotton beds, "Kane, where are you?!"

The girl tossed the last bed sheet to the floor, only revealing the bare, flat mattress.

She felt bile at the back of her throat, bitter and revolting.

"Kane!" She shouted, her mouth going dry as she ran to the next room, "Kane, please! This is no time for games!"

She searched to the cupboards, the closets, everywhere she could, opening every door in hopes of seeing her brother's stupid, perpetually smiling face. But there was nothing.

The girl felt her eyes water, panting for air as she stood shakily. The floor beneath her began to swim before her eyes, slithering under her feet like snakes.

She needed to get them out of here. She _had_ to find him.

With an anguished cry, the girl shut her eyes and called out once more.

"Kane!"

"Bae!"

Her eyes snapped open, her head jerking to the side where the other voice had come from. She felt relief flood her senses as she recognized the face of her old childhood friend.

"Gabe!" She shouted to the boy who stood at her doorway.

The dark haired boy frowned, coughing and looking around the smoke filled room.

"We have to go," he said, running toward her and grabbing her arm, "There are boats waiting outside that are being loaded with people. We can make it just in time-"

"No!" The girl cried, jerking away from his hold and looking wildly around the room, "Kane. We can't leave without him. I need to find him, Gabe! He- he should _be _here, but I- I can't-"

"Hey!" The boy yelled, cutting her off and pulling her chin so that she was looking at him, "You need to calm down. Your brother's fine, I loaded him onto a boat not two minutes ago. He's perfectly alright. But listen to me, we have to leave here, _now._"

His words took a moment to settle in her mind before her breath came from her chest in a pant of sweet relief. She leaned on her friend's shoulder as a sudden wave of fatigue hit her like a stone wall.

"Come on, Bae. We have to get out of here," the boy next to her said, helping her keep her feet steady as he looked at the burning remains of what was her family's kitchen, "Best before this whole place catches fire."

She nodded, swallowing thickly even though her throat was bone-dry.

"Lead the way."

They ran as best as they could out of the house, his arm that was still slung around her catching her every time she tripped over the wreckage. The girl's lungs practically screamed in thanks as the oxygen in the air outside made it easier to breath. Running clumsily, the boy led them to the closest dock, and the girl almost shouted out in joy when she saw that there was still one safety boat tied to it's posts.

"Please, please tell me you still have room," The boy said to the oaring man who stood in the front of the wooden structure, "Please tell me it's not full."

The man looked at them with sympathy, turning around to glance at the panicked people already loaded onto the boat.

"Aye," the man said, smiling in relief, "It'll be tight, but we could cram in two more. Get in, Lad, and bring the girl with you!"

The boy smiled, thanking the man all the while as he stepped on the boat, using his hand to help the girl hobble on as well.

With a loud grunt the oaring man nodded to himself, opening his mouth the shout behind him.

"Hold on and watch out for wreckage! I'll have no choice but to leave behind anyone who falls off, so don't stand!"

There was a small chorus of acknowledgeable sighs and whispers following his statement, but most of the company had fallen silent. All the young girl could bring herself to do was look out at the burning inferno all around her, her eyes cloudy with pity and grief.

And although no one uttered a single word, the silence all but spoke for itself. It spoke of the one thing they all knew deep in the pits of their stomachs.

Come morning, Laketown would be no more. Come morning, the water and docks would reek of death and sorrow of those less fortunate than themselves.

"It's the prophecy," the girl whispered to herself, almost too quiet for anyone to hear. "It has to be."

But the boy had heard her, and he raised his head just enough to glance at her with glazed eyes.

"_The Lord of Silver Fountains, the King of Carven Stone. The King Beneath the Mountain shall come into his own,_" the boy began his voice breaking only slightly as he recited the line. "_And the bells shall ring in gladness, at the mountain king's return. But all shall fail in sadness..._"

The girl stared down at the light reflected in the murky water beneath them, turning away and ignoring the boy entirely as she murmured under her breath.

"_And the lake will shine and burn."_


End file.
